Method of forming ribbed or corrugated sheet-metal members



Sept. 11, 1928. 1,683,842

' J. J. MULLEN ET AL METHOD OF FORMING RIBBIQD OR CORRUGATED SHEET METAL MEMBERS Filed 'Jan. '7, 1927' Franc/s Patented Sept. 1 1928.

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BTAIIBAUGE AgSIGNOB TO SAID MU IETEDID OI roams BIIBBED OB C(lBBUGATED SHEET-METAL M 91-11 I 1 Application fled January 7, 1927. Serial mi. 159,555.

. structed'.

One object of our inventionis to provide a novel and -ine 've method by which a plate can be de ormed so as to produce a corrugation or hollow rib on the plate that has a closed end which terminates some distance inwardly from one edge of the plate.

Another object is to provide a novel method by which a metal plate can be converted, principally by bending operations, into a sheet metal member or article equipped with integral, laterally-projecting corrugations or hollow ribs that have side and end portions which merge into said plate.

And still another object of our invention is to providea practicable method for producing a'sheet metal container having symmetrical end rims or bands of any preferred depth to which end closures can be attached, and also symmetrical, longitudinally-disposed corrugations or hollow ribs of any preferred depth and length, having end closures that merge into said end bands.

Briefly described, our method consists in forming a notch in one edge of a plate, folding or bending the portion of the plate lying in longitudinal alignment with the inner end of said notch in such a way as to produce a corrugation or hollow rib on the plate and also simultaneously cause the side edges of said notchto move into substantially abutting relationship while being retained in their original plane, and closing the end of said corrugation bymeans of an integral portion or integral portions of said plate. The end sections of t 1e plate lying at opposite sides of said notch, which are brought into substantially abutting relationship during the operation offolding or bending the plate to produce the corrugation, and cooperate with each other to form a plain band or uncorrugated portion beyond the end of the corrugation that is exceptionall strong and ri id, as it is composed of par s of the plate t at are not bent or deformed and which are integral withtlie portions of the plate lying at the sides of the corrugation.

The portion or portions of the plate that are sa d used to form the end closure for the corrugatlon can be shaped or formed in various ways. In the form of my invention herein illustrated said portion or'portions are so designed and arranged that they will move into operative position to form an end closure, in the operation of bending or folding the plate to produce the corrugation. Subsequently to' the operation of bending or folding the plate to produce the corrugatlon, the joint in the end closure of the corrugation and the joint between the end sections of the plate lying beyond the end of the corrugation are seamed or closed by a soldering, brazing or welding operation.

When the member or article that is being formed is provided with one or more corrugations or hollow ribs of less length than member, two longitudinally-aligned notches are formed in the opposite ends of the plate at each point where a corrugation is to be formed. The portions of the plate that are used to form end closures for the corrugations can be shaped in various ways, without departing from the spirit of our invention, but we prefer to bend or flange the metal at the inner end of each of the notches in the plate in such a way as to produce two angularly-disposed, symmetrical portions that increase gradually in depth or height from the center towards the side edges of the notch and which virtually form lateral extensions on the parts of the plate that constitute the side portions of a corrugation. When the intermediate portion of the plate lying in longitudinal alignment with a pair of opposed notches is bent or folded to produce a corrugation and to cause the opposed side edges of each notch to move simultaneously into substantially abutting relationship, the angularly-disposed portions of the plate at the inner end of each notch will also move simultaneously into abutting relationship, and thus co-op'erate with each other to form an end closure for the corrugation that merges into the portion of the plate lying beyond the end of the corrugation. A

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of the plate from which the member or article is constructed, after the notchesLhave been formed in the opposite ends of said plate. V

Figure 2 is a perspective view of said plate, after the portions of the plate in im- Figure 3 is a perspective view of the-plate, after the intermediate portions of the plate in longitudinal alignment with the end notches have been bent or folded, so as to produce the corrugations or hollow IlbS and also move the end sections of the plate nto abutting relationship.

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion'of the plate, after the oints n the end closures of the corrugations and in the ,end portions of the plate have been seamed or closed.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional View of a portion of the Slate, illustrating how the angularly-dispose portions of the plate that constitute the end closure for a corrugation move into abutting relationship in the operation of bending or folding the plate to roducethe corrugation; and

igure 6 is a perspective view of a sheet metal container provided with a side wall produced by our improved method.

Our method can be used in the construction of various kinds of sheet metal members and articles'equipped with closed end corrugations or hollow ribs that are used for ornamental purposes, for producing rigidity or for increasing the surface area of the member or article. It is particularly adapted, however, for use in the manufacture of transformer tanks or cases of the kinddescribed in. our pending application for patent.

Referring, to the drawings which illustrate the preferred manner of practising or carrying out our method, A designates a plate, usually a sheet metal plate, which is adapted to be converted into a member or article equipped with one or more straight, laterally-projecting corrugations or hollow ribs B having closed ends that merge into plain or uncorrugated portions of the member located beyond the ends of the 'Eorrugations. While we have herein illustrated our method as being used to roduce a container of the kind shown in igure 6," which is provided with a sheet metal side wall having plain bands or rims at its-ends and a plurality of longitudinally-disposed corrugations or hollow ribs B arranged between said end hands, it will be obvious that our method is applicable to the construction of a sheet metal member equipped with a single corrugation or hollow rib that has only one of its ends closed and terminating within one marginal edge of the plate from.

which the member is constructed.

In practising our method notches 1 are formed in the opposite ends or opposed edges of the plate A, and the metal at the inner ends of said notches is preferably shaped or'bent so. as to produce angularlydisposed portions 2 that project laterally from the-surface of the plate, as shown in Figure 2. The plate Acan either be blanked out or notched by one operation and then bent to produce the angularly-disposcd portions 2 at the-inner ends of the notches'by a separate operation, or the notches 1 and bent portions 2 of the plate can be produced by a single operation, or, at least, by one continuous operation in a combined cutting and bending machine. After the plate has been notched and bent, as above described, the intermediate portions of the plate lying in longitudinal alignment with the two groups of notches in the ends of the plate are bent or folded rogressively so as to produce a plurality of spaced, parallel corrugations or hollow ribs B whose ends terminate within the marginal edges of the plate as shown in Figure 3. Various kinds of machines can be used to bend or fold the plate to produce the corrugations, but we prefer to use a machine of the kind described in our pending application for patent.

The notches l in the plate are of such width that the adjacent end sections 3 of the plate lyingbetween said notches will come together or move into-abutting relationship simultaneously with the operation of bending or folding the intermediate portions of the plate to produce the corrugations B, and will thus co-operate with each other to form plain, uncorrugated end portions of single thickness beyond the ends of the corrugations that are exceptionally strong and rigid, as they are formed by fiat portions of the plate that are not deformed or bent out of their original plane, and which. are integrally connected with the por tions of the plate which lie between the corrugations. In this same bending or folding operation the angularly-disposed portions 2 at the inner ends of each pair of opposed notches come together or move into a utting relationship so as to form end closures for the corrugation produced by the part of the plate to which said angularlydisposed portions 2 are integrally attached. In other words, the singularly-disposed portions 2 virtually form lateral extensions on the parts of the late A that constitutelthe side portions 4 o the corrugation, and said portions 2 are so disposed that when the plate is being bent or folded to reduce the corrugation, as indicated b bro on lines in Figure 5, the edges of sai portions 2 will simultaneously move into abutting relationship, and will thus co-operate with each other to form an end wall or closure for the corrugation that is made up of two parts which are integrally connected to the side portions of the corrugation and also to the end sections 3 of the plate lying beyond the end of the corrugation.

If the plate A, after being bent and folded in the manner above described, is to be used to form the side wall of a container or or welding operation, as shown in Figure 4,

thereby producing a symmetrical sheet metal container equipped with integral, laterallyand tow projecting corrugations B provided with closed ends that merge into plain or uncorrugated end portions of the container that are located be end the ends of the corrugations hich the top and bottom of the container can be easily attached.

The. length and spacing of the' corrugations may vary, the depth of the corrugations may vary and the distance between the ends of the corrugation and the edges of the plate A may vary. Moreover, as previously stated, the portions of the plate that constitute the end closures for the corrugations can be formed in various ways, but if the metal at the inner ends of each notch 1 is first shaped by a combined bending and drawing operation or in any other manner, so as to produce two symmetrically arranged, angularly-disposed portions 2 that gradually increase in depth or height and which are drawn or stretched slightly at the points 2 where they merge into the end sections 3 of the. plate, the end closures for the corrugations will be exceptionally strong and rigid, and after the joint between the portions 2 has been sea-med or closed, the corrugationswill present the same appearance and will be just as eflicient as a corrugation produced solely by a drawing operation in a die.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: a

1. A method of forming a ribbed or corrugated -member, characterized by forming a notch in one edge of a plate, folding or,

bending the portion of the plate that is in longitudinal alignment with the inner end of said notch in such a way as to form a corrugation or hollow rib on the plate and also simultaneously cause the side edges of said notch to move into substantially abutting relationship While being retained in their original plane, and closing the end ofsaid corrugation by an integral portion of said plate. a

2. A method of constructing a ribbed or corrugated member, characterized by forming a notch in one edge of a plate, bending or folding the portion of the plate that is in longitudinal alignment with the inner end rugated member, characterized by forming a notch in one edge of a fplate, bending the f metal at'the inner end 0 said notch at an angle to the surface of the'plate, and then folding or bending the portion of the plate that is in longitudinal alignment with the .inner end of said notch in such a way as .to

produce a corrugation -or hollow rib, cause the end of said corrugation to be closed by the said angularly bent portion of themetal at the inner end of the notch, and also simultaneously cause the side edges of said notch to move into substantially abutting relationship while being retained in their original plane. A

4. A method of producing a ribbed or corrugated member, characterized by forming a notch in one end of'a plate, bending or folding the portion of the plate that is in longitudinal alignment with the inner end portion of the notch so as to form a corrugation or hollow rib on the plate and simultaneouslycause the side edges of said notch to move into substantially abutting relationshi while being retained in their original p ane, closing the end of said rib by integral angularly-disposed extensions on the side portions of said corrugation, and

then seaming or closing the joint between said extensions. a

5. A method of producing a'ribbed orcorrugated member, characterized by forming a notch in one edge of a plate, bending the metal at the inner end of said notch so as to produce two angularly-disposed, op.- posed portions, then folding or bending the portions of the plate that is in longitudinal alignment with the inner end of said notch so as to produce a corrugation or hollow rib on the plate and cause said angularlydisposed portions to move into position to form an end closure for the corrugation, and thereafter seaming or closing the joint between said 'angularly-disposed portions and the joint between the end sections of the plate constituting the side edges of said notch.

p 6. A method of producing a ribbed or corrugated member, characterized b forming a notch in one edge of a plate, bending or folding the portion of the late that is in longitudinal alignment wit the inner end of said notch so as to produce a corrugaing a notch in one edge of a plate,

tion or hollow rib on the plate, thereby causing the side edges of sa1d notch to simultaneously move into substantially abutting relationshi while bein retained in their original p ane, closing t e end of said corrugation by integral portions on the side folding or bending the portion of the plate that is in longitudinal alignment with the inner end ofsaid notch so as to produce a corrugation or hollow rib, thereby causing 'said angularly-disposed portions to move 'ing the metal at the inner edge 0 simultaneously into a position to form an end closure for the corru ation and also causing the side edges of said notch to move into substantially abutting relationship while being retained in their originalplane, and subsequently closing the joint betweien the said angularl disposed portions and the joint between t e abutting end sections of the plate lying beyond the end of the corrugation.

8. A method of producing a ribbed or corrugated metal member, characterized by forming a notch in one end of a plate, shapsaid notch by a combined bending and drawing operation so as to produce two opposed angularlydisposed portions which increase gradua in depth or hei ht from the center toward the side edges 0 the notch, folding or bending the portion of the plate in longitudinal alignment with the inner end of the notch in such a way as to produce a corrugation or hollow rib on the plate and cause said angularly-disposed portions to co-operate with each other to form an end closure for the corrugation, and subsequently seaming the joint between said angularly-disposed portions and the joint between the abutting end portions" of the plate at opposite sides of said notch.

9. A method of producing a corrugated or ribbed member which consists in forming longitudinally aligned notches in opposed edges of a plate, bending or folding the intermediate portion of the plate lying in longitudinal alignment with said notches so as to form a corrugation or hollow rib on the plate and also cause the opposed side edges of each of said notches to move simultaneously into substantially abutting relationship while being retained in their orig inal plane, closing the ends or said corrugation' by integral portions of the plate and seaming the joints in the end closures of the corrugation and the joints in the end sections of the plate located beyond the ends of the corrugation.

10. A method of producing a ribbed or corrugated sheet metaLmember, characterized by forming longitudinally-ah notches in the opposite ends of a plate, 8 apin the metal at the inner ends of said notches by a combined bending and drawing operation so. as to produce a pair of opposed, angularly-dis osed portions at the inner end of eac of said notches, bending or folding the intermediate portion of the plate lying in longitudinal alignment with said notches so as to roduce a corrugation or hollow rib on the p ate and also to cause each of said pairs of a ularlydisposed portions to move into a position to form an end closure for the corrugation and subsequentl seaming or closing the joints in said en closures and the joints in the end sections of the plate lying beyond the ends of the corrugation.

11. A method of producing a container, characterized by forming longitudinallyaligned notches in the opposite ends of a metal plate, pro essively ending or folding the interme 'ate portions of the plate lying in longitudinal alignment with opposed notches so asto form corrugations on the plate and cause the end sections of the plate between the side edges of said notches to move into substantially abutting relationship While said end sections are retained in their original plane, closing the ends of said corrugations by integral portions of the plate, between the side edges of said notches to move into substantially abutting relationship, closing the ends'of said corrugations by integral portions of the plate, bending the plate into the form desired for the side wall of the container,- and seaming the end clo sures of the corrugations and the joints between the end sections of the plate.

JAMES J. MULLEN. FRANCIS M; STAMBAUGH.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,683,842. Granted September 11, 1928, to

JAMES J. MULLEN ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 114, claim 5, for the word "portions" read "portion"; page 4, line 65, claim 9, for the word "or" read "of"; same page, claim 11, line 104, beginning with the word "between" strike out all to and including the word "plate" in line 107; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 23rd day of October, A. D. 1928.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

